The Montessori philosophy covers human development from zero to 24. Key ideas at every level include:
• mixed age groups (in the Children's House, the age    range  is 2.5 to 6)
• a simple, beautiful, child-accessible environment
• extended time to move and explore
• hands-on exploration of self-correcting materials (so    that the child can figure out if a mistake has been    made without teacher input)
• free choice of activities, limited only by    developmental appropriateness and availability
• classrooms function as communities, balancing a    child’s need for independence and interdependence

Authentic* Children’s Houses Include:
• a teacher, trained in the Montessori method at the   “primary” level
 • specialized materials, designed by Dr. Montessori
 • children of mixed age levels (2.5 to 6)
 • abundant time for children to choose, carry out, and     put away activities at their own pace

*It is important to realize that the name “Montessori” is not trademarked. Since any school can be named “Montessori,” it is important to know the characteristics of schools that produce the results for which Montessori is famous.